Looking for extra income? ICC calls for freelance Tagalog, Cebuano transcribers
The International Criminal Court is looking to hire a roster of freelancers proficient in Tagalog and Cebuano for remote transcription services.
The job posting was published on the ICC website on Jan. 25, more than a month before Rodrigo Duterte’s arrest. It has since been reshared on some European job search websites.
The transcribers will work within the Office of the Prosecutor to produce “self-reviewed transcripts swiftly and accurately from audio or video recordings.”
The job description forewarned applicants that the audio or video materials to be transcribed “may on occasion risk being of an upsetting or disturbing nature.”
To qualify, the candidate must be proficient in the Filipino language, and/or Tagalog and/or Cebuano. They must also have a working knowledge of English.
Preferably, though not necessarily, the candidate "holds a professional qualification in the field of languages or linguistics; have prior experience in transcription or any other language-related profession, ideally in a legal setting; and have experience using transcription hardware and software, as well as extranets."
They must also "possess good computer and information technology skills, apply attention to detail with information and data accuracy, respect information confidentiality, and deliver on deadline."
Shortlisted candidates will undergo a transcription accreditation test, including security clearance. Once accredited, candidates will be included in the ICC’s roster of transcribers.
Duterte, currently detained in the Hague Penitentiary Institution in the Netherlands, is fluent in Tagalog and Cebuano.
The ICC began its “preliminary examination” of Duterte’s drug war as early as 2018. Similar job postings for Filipino, Tagalog, and Cebuano translators were published on the ICC website in 2022 and in March last year.
Duterte first appeared before the ICC’s Pre-Trial Chamber late last week, where he attended via video link. The Chamber verified the former president’s identity and ensured he was informed of his charges and his rights.
The next hearing is scheduled to begin on Sept. 23 when the Chamber will determine whether there is enough evidence to move forward. If the charges are confirmed, totally or partly, the case will be transferred to a Trial Chamber.
